The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. - Stephen Covey

FORUM

Go ahead and POST!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Castelfest

WOW!!

This is great and I wanted to share it with you all. Three wonderful friends of this forum decided to all meet at an event called Castlefest this year. They each came from different countries around the globe and all met in person at this medieval festival this summer and it all started right here in our forum - I'm so honored!

Here is the picture they mailed me from the festival - beautiful!

Ute, Jaschenka, and Ufuk are all inspiring contributors of our forum. Here they are meeting up at a festival in Holland having a fantastic time!

I believe meaningful human connections is what life is all about. It's what we write books and songs and movies about. It is ultimately what makes us laugh and cry and gives our lives a sense of meaning when we recognize ourselves in each other and make an effort to reach out like this.

Keep us all posted on next year's Castlefest and thanks for sharing these great memories with us!

30 Comments:

WOW!! Indeed! Welcome back here Ute, Jaschenka and Ufuk! Thank you for letting us know of your nice meeting, for sharing here as well through your nice smiles a beautiful moment of the fantastic time you had together at the Castlefest 2010; i'm very glad of that! Thank you Chris for posting this beautiful photo and sharing here wonderful, inspiring thoughts about human connections.

Tim, i'm very glad to read that your eye surgery went well and you're doing better. Best of luck to you for a full recovery!

Hello Forum Family/Castlefest Fans...This is wonderful to see three of the intrepid Castlefest forum gals featured here. Tanya's right, it's great to picture them all together. Missing Angi, though, so hope she will pipe in from England!

Alex, a beautiful post, as always. Tim, hope to hear soon and keeping you always in our prayers. Of course, I keep all the forum family in my heart, always.

The ATP story of Ute, Jaschenka, Ufuk and Angi came to mind when I saw this quote on Facebook this morning by Andrew Horton, one of my favorite motivational teachers there.

Andrew Horton: "Networking is when you connect two or more people that should meet, yet you have no expectations of receiving anything in return, it is a gift that you share with others. This level of generosity builds trust & creates the potential for developing mutually beneficial long term relationships. Networking, when done correctly creates long lasting loyalty, trust & mutual beneficial reciprocity between all participants."

Isn't that so true! Love to Chris and all the forum. Happy September! May we keep on networking ATP:) much needed in our world... ATB everyone, Sue

Dear Chris, Thank you for sharing such special memory with forum family and for your beautiful notes with it..

Both the festival and meeting with Jaschenka and Ute was wonderful.. also Jaschenka's mom Mieke and her friends who came to festival were all wonderful to meet and to spend time together.. i wished Angi was there who encouraged me at the first place to go.. thank you Angi..and of course we did dream of having a big forum gathering with Chris and everyone..

As Chris and Sue mentioned, meaningful human connections with no expectations of receiving anything in return is a gift that we share with others. This level of generosity does build trust & makes me believe more in life and human nature.. i certainly need it occasionally when i see how far humans can go the other way a bit too often.. so it was a great boost in that sense by all means :)

i went to a city in another country which i never have been before with no confusion and problem at all with help of my dear friend, Jaschenka. and then i was taken cared very warmly with bunch of very welcoming people there..

i am very grateful to all Nethies- Ute i think you are one of them now:)- , to Chris and everyone here who keeps this forum warm and cosy

Alex,Tanya, Sue thank you for notes.. hope to see you next time there..

Tim, i do hope that you feel better.. wishing you much health and luck..

Well, I was passing by and thought I'd wish everyone a beautiful Labor Day weekend. Thinking of you, Tim, as the weather took a dramatic shift toward fall temps for a bit, and why is it that we FEEL that shift in ourselves, I wonder?

Looking forward to an update and sending lots of ATP Blessings for good health, and also to all of the forum family. May you have a healthy and prosperous new season...Sue

(as for an update on me, I resumed my blog at www.livingstontalk.com this week, and I'm open for ideas! As Maria says, "Write!" Now, don't laugh, I'm calling this blog series: Yesterday's Coffee, Tomorrow's Muse -- figuring that should cover just about any topic:)

SueSlightly ironic that I am sitting here with a cup of coffee having just finished reading your blog on the Livingstontalk web site.

I too think it is neat to be able to put faces with names. I once attended an event here in the states hosted by the Society for Creative Anachronism which I am going to assume would be along the same lines as Castlefest. Being a people watcher, it was fun to sit back and observe everyone in period dress and armor. There was even a "mock" battle where people went to war in their home made suits of armor. While I say "mock", they were hitting each other full force with "swords" made of bamboo and padded with duct tape. In my opinion, there was nothing "mock" about it! You either had made your armor correctly protecting you from impact or you figured out very quickly that you needed some design changes. Death was on the honor system. If you were hit with a lethal blow you were obligated to "die" and fall to the ground. Every few minutes, the Marshals would halt the action and clear away the dead which meant that the dead people got up and ran off the field. Then the battle resumed. Quite fun to watch.

As far as my eye, things could be better. We are in a holding pattern at the moment with the healing process having stalled out and maybe even going backwards a bit. I continue to have fluid behind the retina that my body should have absorbed by now. The fear is that the fluid could cause more detachment. I am still on reduced activity which is just about going to kill me. I go back on Friday for yet another exam. I have done this so many times I have the eye chart memorized! If things are not better I will have more surgery next week.

The weather is great. Yesterday was mid 70s with 45 mph winds. The wind kept the mosquitoes away! As far as I am concerned, it could stay like this all year long (minus the wind).

Going to see if this post will go through. I tried twice before we left to go up north after Tanya's post. Tim, I wanted to thank you for reading my blog and mentioning it. That was so great of you to post that. Hope in the week I've been gone, that you are doing supernova! To use a favorite word I associate with ATP:) Chris has a blogspot, so I don't understand why it isn't working. I have two blogspots, actually three, and I may even start a fourth to put my coffee blog on. Need to work on my website, and make sure all those links are there and working at www.susanparcheta.com. Lots to do this fall and just one more week of summer left! Enjoy! Keep us posted, Tim -- and Chris hope you can put this up OK. Hope all is well with you.

Hi dear Forum Family! I had some difficulties posting as well, seems the cable pixies were still recovering from Castlefest blues..Thank you Chris for putting that picture up here. I can't believe Summer is almost over now and the photo brings back great memories! We had a wonderful time and who knows maybe we'll be able to add more forum family members to a meet someday, somewhere. Miss you Ufuk and Ute!!Special well wishes going out to you Tim. Sending best healing vibes your way. Keep us posted on your treatment, ok. Things have been supernova on this end, although super busy too. New job (has it been only a month-and-a-half since I officially started??) is going so well we needed to take in trainees to help out.Passing on some of the creativity that whirls around on my sewing attic to all of you. Must be the lengthening of the evenings that brings that out in us. So..what's everyone else up to? Happy Autumn all!! Fall fairy hugs & Be Inspired!

Hey everyone, as Sue pointed out I've been busy this summer with some new acting experiences - watch for me in the background of "Detroit 1-8-7" which starts this week on Tuesdays on ABC. I'm in episode 4 as a concerned parent (I'm wearing a maroon sweater with a black horizontal stripe) in episode 6 as both a "professor" and a coroner's assistant, and episode 7 again as a coroner's assistant. This all depends, of course, on what shots are finally used. It's been great fun so far and with luck there will be more to come! In terms of movies I was an extra in several scenes of "Real Steel" which will come out November 18, 2011. I can't say too much about my role in this one for professional and legal reasons, but you can find info about the movie at IMdB.com. Tomorrow I work again as an "extra" (we prefer the term "background performer or artist" actually)for a much smaller film called "The Sidewalk Singer" which is being shot in Tecumseh, Michigan.

Not much, but it's been fun while I continue my search for a "real" job. But who knows, we're all one or two lucky breaks away from something really good right?

Loved the picture from Castlefest! Makes me think that it might be time for a North American gathering of Chris' fans...

Hope all is well with everyone - like Sue I eagerly await news about Chris' latest projects too!

Dave, I will be looking for the concerned coroners assistant professor in the up coming weeks. That is awesome. I will be able to point and say "I know him....well sort of" LOL.

Dave/Sue, How far are you from Holland MI? I have a friend that recently moved there and wants me to come over when there is an agility competition. If you are both close you can come watch.

Tanya, thanks for the good words. I appreciate them

Big wave and shout out to the over seas brigade...hope all is well.

As far as the eye thing goes, I dodged the bullet for the surgery a couple of weeks ago but it could still happen. I go again tomorrow for another exam...poke poke poke. I am really hoping that things have improved and that he releases me to be more active. I am hating all this sitting around. I suppose the alternative is worse so I should shut up and be thankful.

On a good note, Fall is here!!!! The farmers in my town have most of the corn and beans out of the fields already. This is extremely early to be this far along but good for them. Maybe they can enjoy an extended "off" season.

Did any of you see the full moon Thursday night? Beautiful sky as I was driving home from Williamston Theatre...first night of Blue Door by Tanya Barfield, a play about an African-American tenured professor "jolted from the rut of his life when his wife accuses him of denying his heritage." Two wonderful actors, Rico Bruce Wade and Julian Grant do the seemingly impossible, and manage to creatively portray the gamut of experiences from slavery through Black Power of the men in the family...with no intermission. I've grown to truly appreciate following a local theatre and all the effort put into making fabulous plays. Hopefully it has given me more of an idea of what Dave and Chris experience.

Look forward to finding Dave on the TV shows. Tim, Dave is farther than me from Holland. I'm about 2 1/2 hrs maybe? Near Grand Haven, where my husband's family is from and where his dad spends the summer. Let us know when the agility competition is; we've never been to anything like that. Another friend has an apple orchard over that way; we always say we will visit, but never seem to make it.

Overseas brigade...I like that:) And also keeping fingers crossed for healing for your vision. Thanks for keeping us updated. I can't imagine what you have been going through.

Guess we have to get accustomed to autumn...the roller coaster temperatures are a little annoying. Enjoy the season, with all its magic, though, right Jaschenka? BTW, I hope you will all take a look at her costume designs at Lord of Magic. Maybe she can post the link...if not, I'll try to post it later:)

ATB/P/D to all...with special emphasis on the "Dreamable" for you. -- Sue

LOL, dear forum family...It seems I've finally Sue-namied the Blogger system. Just wrote a post in reply to Tim's and it says my comment is too LONG! Never had that happen in five years. All makes you wonder how to have a conversation in real time. Let me know if you get this Chris, and I'll rewrite. thankfully I was able to push the back button and retrieve it:) And let us know about any word limit you may know of...ATB/P??? Sue

Blogger is so funny lately:) My Sue-nami posted and I couldn't tell it went. So hope you could follow. Too bad it's been acting up a little. In any case, have a beautiful week and smooth sailing into October. My Facebook friends know I have this blogspot where I share Henry Reed's Daily Mandala art, along with a personal reflection. I'm giving you the link here. Look at the blue one from yesterday and see if you can tell who might be one of the persons who inspired me on a long quest...as if you didn't already know:) I'm sure you feel the same. I'm getting a few followers on Facebook now...www.allthingsbeautiful-susangail.blogspot.com So, we'll see if this post wants to fly through cyberspace to California:)ATB everyone...Sue

Great to hear from all of you here; i'm very glad to see you're are doing well. Best of luck to all!

Sue, i appreciated so much your lovely birthday wishes, thoughts, notes, blogs; thank you very much! All the best things, ATB to you and yours!

Thoughts and prayers to you Tim for a full recovery with your vision.

Great to hear good news from you Dave on your new acting experiences; thanks for the updates, keep us posted on them. I look forward to seeing you on that film and those tv series you mentioned and hope to hear news and updates from Chris soon!

Thanks for all the notes, everyone.While haven't talked to my daughter, thought I heard about extreme heat in L.A. Hope all is well. Cool fall temps really settling in here. Could be hot filming out there:)??? Alex, our resident weather forecaster, might have something to say:) ATB Blessings to everyone...Sue

Hope all is well in L.A. now, as with 113°F (45°C) in downtown and even 119°F (48,3°C) in the foothills near Beverly Hills the hottest temperature ever measured in the Los Angeles area, September 27th, 2010 was the hottest day in Los Angeles history (records began in 1877). The summer 2010 was generally the hottest in the Northern Hemisphere since records began; in fact in many regions there has never been such a hot meteorological summer. The year 2010 has also the most national extreme heat records for a single year, even seventeen for now; just two examples are 102.2°F (39.0°C) in Moscow on July 29th and and 128,3°F (53,5°C) at Mohenjo-Daro in Pakistan on May 26th. Global Warming, temperatures often above average, climate change increase abnormally, dangerous, extreme weather events all over the world!

Howdy AllI can not imagine a prettier day than we are having in Illinois today. Currently 70(f) with low humidity. I will enjoy it now as tomorrow it is supposed to be 55(f) for a high.

Thanks for the continued support with the eye issue. The Dr says it is healed. It just took me longer than normal (what, I'm not normal...) and I have been released to normal activities as of last Friday. I can do anything I used to do. I am learning to deal with the vision issues that remain. Those may or may not go away with time but I am not complaining. I feel happy with the current results. Something along the lines of looking a gift horse in the mouth so to speak.

I am off to enjoy the sunshine so stay cool or warm where ever you are and be sure to stop and take the time to have a good look around you. Appreciate the beauty that is there. I look at things differently now...in more ways than one.

Happy October to all...Just wanted to share a link I got today about movies that I thought you'd enjoy

http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/films/

My first post didn't want to go, so trying again...hope to hear good news from the forum family weatherwise, healthwise, career wise, film and theatre-wise, creativity-wise, etc etc etc:)ATB Blessings and well wishes...Sue

Probably new topic soon, so I might add the link back again sometime...lots to think about there;)

Hey folksHere we go again. I too seem to have lost a post into cyberspace. Such is technology.

The eye thing is healed and I am good to go as far as normal activity. Still have some vision issues that may or may not get better with time. Certainly nothing that I can not learn to live with. It is just nice being able to do things again with out fear of doing damage to myself. I was so happy that when I left the Drs office after getting the good news, I jogged back to my car. Half way there I just jumped into the air with joy. Now mind you, to the rest of the world it probably looked like I tripped but trust me, it was a jump!

Tanya, I compete in dog agility competitions. Best way to tell you about it is here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi0OFZHoNok

It is a lot of fun and one of the best forms of training you can do with your dog (in my opinion).

Beautiful fall day here. Sunny with a high temp of 55(f). Take careTim

Tanya, thanks for the note:)And Tim, The dog agility video was fantastic and fun to watch. So glad you are happily jogging and jumping and running with your dogs now! Thanks for allowing us to keep you in our prayers...Alex, Thank you for the weather news.It's so beautiful here for awhile, as Tim said.

"What's the Play About?" Saw the poster on Facebook, Chris. Sounds like you are up to your neck in projects...which we hope to hear a little bit about soon:)Break a leg, BTW...and have fun!

I have to tell you that it was just this morning that the idea for ATB Today as an inspirational email came to me. Thanks all the forum family for your influence on me and ATB! And ATP, of course! Sue

Sue (and everyone else), My first 187 episode is this Tuesday, October 12, and based on what I've seen of the show so far and the preferred camera style you'll have to look fast to see me. I'll be a bystander/concerned parent in the background and wearing a maroonish colored sweater with a black horizontal stripe across the chest. After this episode I'll be a coroner's assistant in episodes 6 and 7. Look for the Wayne County Medical Examiners van and I should be standing near it!